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The Tampa Bay Rays' third baseman, Junior Caminero, inscribed his name alongside legends after a historic two-home-run performance in a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. With his 29th and 30th home runs of the 2025 season, Caminero joined Juan Soto (2019) and Albert Pujols (2001) as the only Dominican-born players to hit 30 homers in an age-21 or younger season, as measured by age on June 30.
Caminero wasted no time, launching a 447-foot two-run homer in the first inning off Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson, the longest of his career and the second-longest by any Rays player this season. The blast was also his 100th career RBI. In the third, he followed up with a 404-foot solo shot to center, becoming the sixth player in MLB with 30 or more home runs this season and trailing only Seattle’s Eugenio Suárez (37) among third basemen.
Despite struggling against left-handed pitching this year (.218 average vs. LHP compared to .264 vs. RHP), Caminero’s breakout against Anderson, a pitcher winless in his last 19 starts, demonstrated his growing threat in the lineup. Seven of his 30 homers have now come off southpaws.
Caminero's power surge came at a crucial time for Tampa Bay, which snapped a four-series losing streak and moved to sixth in the AL Wild Card race, 4.5 games behind the Yankees. The Rays also opened their 12-game, four-city West Coast road trip with a vital series win, their second since the All-Star break.
Supporting Caminero's offensive showcase, Christopher Morel broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh with a 424-foot solo homer, his first since July 1 and eighth of the season, after going 0-for-6 in the series prior. Meanwhile, Nick Fortes, a recent trade deadline acquisition, contributed with a 391-foot homer, his third of the season and first in a Rays uniform.
Starter Shane Baz struck out nine but allowed four earned runs over four innings. The bullpen, Cleavinger, Uceta, Baker, and newly acquired Griffin Jax, held the line with five shutout frames. Jax escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth with three consecutive strikeouts, and Pete Fairbanks sealed the win with his 19th save.
Now 57-59, the Rays will face the Seattle Mariners (61-53) next. With just 46 games remaining, every performance, like Caminero’s historic outing, carries postseason weight.
